Definition

A painful or itchy swelling caused by enlarged veins in the area around the anus or rectum.

Example

Many people experience discomfort from hemorrhoids, especially during bowel movements.

Conversation

I heard you had a rough time recently; what happened?

Yeah, I’ve been dealing with a painful hemorrhoid for a while now.

Ouch, that sounds awful! Have you seen a doctor about it?

I did, and they gave me some cream that’s actually helping a lot.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hemorrhoid is derived from the Greek "haimorrhoides" (meaning flowing with blood), which is composed of "haima" (meaning blood) and "rhein" (meaning to flow). The term refers to the condition characterized by swollen blood vessels in the rectal area that can bleed.

Memory Tip

Think of 'blood' ('haima') that is 'flowing' ('rhein') to remember that a hemorrhoid is a condition involving bleeding in that area.

Visually Confused Words